Final night time’s Prime Minister’s XIII scoreline was predictable.
The Australian girls’s XIII dominated the PNG Orchids 64-6 and the Kumuls have been taken down 64 -14 by the Aussie males at Brisbane’s Lang Park.
Because the first conflict in 2005, Papua New Guinea (PNG) have by no means received a recreation.
The occasion is almost all the time scheduled at NRL finals time, and this yr’s version additionally copped a conflict with PNG’s nationwide rugby league competitors’s grand last week.
This prevented the collection of the very best in-country expertise.
However the Prime Minister’s XIII serves a far larger goal than a footy recreation – and on that measure, final night time was an enormous success.
The PM’s XIII is proving to be an instrument of blue-ribbon worldwide diplomacy, participant improvement and a human rights initiative multi function.
With the Rugby League World Cup solely weeks away, this yr’s PM’s XIII additionally performed a key function in World Cup choice — for each the Aussie and PNG sides.
And what different fixture brings two prime ministers collectively to stroll their nation’s staff out on the sphere — after which sit facet by facet to get pleasure from a recreation of footy?
Kumuls squad choice
The Kumuls did not subject a single NRL participant.
They have been pitted in opposition to 13 of them, together with a number of the NRL’s hottest expertise like Manly Sea Eagles famous person Daly Cherry-Evans.
All however one of many 20-strong Kumuls squad have been pulled from Queensland Rugby League (QRL) groups who play for the Queensland Cup.
However with the Rugby League World Cup simply across the nook, Kumuls head coach Stanley Tepend is saving his finest gamers for that event, which kicks off in England on October 15.
It was three months in the past the Kumuls — who have been the underdogs — triumphed over Fiji within the NRL’s Pacific Take a look at.
Loading Instagram content material
PNG fielded its NRL ‘all stars’ on the Pacific Take a look at, together with icons Justin Olam, Alex Johnston and David Mead in addition to rising star Lachlan Lam.
All these gamers — aside from David Mead who has retired — might be accessible for the World Cup. Lam is already within the UK after not too long ago taking a contract with an English league staff.
Traditionally, the PM’s XIII is about offering PNG in-country gamers with worldwide recreation expertise.
Coach Tepend would have appreciated to make use of final night time to run extra gamers from PNG’s nationwide competitors however could not due to the scheduling conflict:
“We had the elections on again residence so I believe which will have triggered a few delays to finals week.
“It might be good to see it deliberate higher with no different video games on the week simply so it may be an occasion itself,” stated Tepend.
However for these chosen, final night time was a particular second of their life, with 9 of the squad pulling on a Kumuls jersey for the primary time.
PNG Hunters participant Wartovo Puara was picked as Captain. He performs hooker for the QRL’s PNG Hunters.
“I known as my Mum and Dad right away, they have been very excited, it was an awesome second of delight for my household,” stated Puara.
PNG the place the true advantages lie for PM’s XIII
“I hope it might return to PNG subsequent yr,” stated Tepend.
Final night time is the primary time the PM’s XIII has been on Australian soil.
The stadium felt empty in distinction to the standard Port Moresby capacity-filled crowds of as much as 10,000.
It has been 4 years since PNG and Australia’s PM’s XIII have met in any respect.
The annual fixture is often performed in PNG. However in 2019 it moved to Fiji and PNG sat out. The earlier two years it was canned due to COVID-19.
The ABC spoke to 4 representatives from the Kumuls camp they usually all stated they need it to return to PNG.
Coach Tepend stated, “when the Australians [NRL Players] come as much as PNG, that is important for Papua New Guineans to have an opportunity to observe them.
“And it offers our boys the prospect to play in opposition to Australia with their households and supporters watching them.
“When it is performed at residence, the week main as much as the sport we roll out all of the social messages and schooling to the PNG. That performs an vital a part of all of it.”
The NRL has unofficially stated it is going to return to PNG in 2023.
A human rights initiative
The ‘social messaging’ Coach Tepend is speaking about has been integral to the PM’s XIII.
Rugby League and NRL gamers maintain a really excessive standing in PNG and pack a great deal of affect.
Lately, the PM’s XIII has targeted on home violence, a rampant drawback in elements of PNG.
Displaying the message ‘Robust Males Respect Ladies’ on the PM’s XIII jerseys has been one initiative.
Prevention and consciousness of HIV/AIDS has been a trigger championed up to now additionally.
Final night time’s occasion did not have a humanitarian message.
As an alternative, it was a celebration of Australia and Papua New Guinea’s friendship and shared ardour for the sport of rugby league.
Justin Olam makes a shock look
Coach Tepend opted to relaxation Justin Olam for the sport.
Loading Instagram content material
“With the World Cup developing that is finest. He is had a protracted robust season with the Melbourne Storm and the best way that he performs is absolutely aggressive,” he stated.
“[Resting Olam] additionally offers a chance to the youthful gamers developing.”
However the largest home-grown rugby league star to return out of PNG in a era was a shock late addition to final week’s Kumuls camp.
Olam requested to affix in, and flew up from Melbourne to be part of the camp.
“Simply to be across the boys, they’re my staff,” stated Olam.
When requested what his function had been over the camp he jokes, “selecting songs for them within the exercise room”.
His presence was little question inspirational to the younger squad who think about Olam a hero.
The brotherhood generated in a Kumuls camp is palpable.
Kumuls Workforce Supervisor Tommy Butterfield stated they need not do any staff bonding, it comes naturally, “as a tradition we [are] all the time collectively…”
In amongst the pure kinship and coaching, the staff holds a weekly ‘devotion’ session. It’s a prayer and worship service led by the gamers.
The PM’s XIII has a shiny and safe future
The PM’s XIII isn’t in regards to the scoreline and final night time, Lang Park proved delight and nationhood might be summoned from far more than profitable a recreation.
The friendship between Australia and PNG was on full show on the highest ranges of energy.
And with a possible return to PNG in 2023, the PM’s XIII will proceed to be a car of positivity for the 2 nations, with Papua New Guineans as soon as once more receiving the complete potential of the fixture.
Loading Instagram content material
